Repeating mechanism for impact ignition pellets



Nov. 17,1910 D. F. BUTLER 3,540,141

- REPEATING MECHANISM FOR IMPACT IGNITION PELLETS Filed out 25, 1968 l sSheds-Sheet 1 t l 1 O N \N i I I i I I i INVENTOR.

DAV/D F BUTLER ATTORNEY Nov. 17, 1910 I REPEATING MECHANISM FOR IMIAC'IIGNITION PELLE'I'S Filed Oct] '25, 1968 D. F. BUTLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2ATTORNEY NOV. 17, 1970 F, L R 3 ,540,141

REPEATING MECHANISM FOR IMPACT IGNITION PELLETS Filed Oct. 25, 1968 3Sheets-Sheet 5 xx & 4 1 J O M l- 1 9 I 4 Q WI a--. Q3 f 4 N A L l/ I" Rg Q I I l 5 \e l I x I I l N t INVENTOR DAV/D FBUTLQ? ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,540,141 REPEATING MECHANISM FOR IMPACT IGNITION PELLETSDavid F. Butler, Hamden, Conn., assignor to Olin Mathiason ChemicalCorporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Oct. 25, 1968, Ser. No.770,755 Int. Cl. F41c 13/00 US. Cl. 42-17 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A power actuated device utilizing caseless ammunition andincluding an ammunition magazine, and an ammunition carrier fortransferring individual rounds of the caseless ammunition from themagazine to a position wherein the round is picked up by a bolt andmoved into a firing chamber. The ammunition carrier is automaticallyoperated when the bolt is reciprocated after a round is fired.

This invention relates to an explosively actuated device, such as apower tool, firearm, or the like, which device utilize caselessammunition. The device of this invention includes a magazine containinga plurality of rounds of caseless ammunition, and an ammunition carrierfor transferring individual ones of the ammunition rounds from themagazine to a position for pick-up by a bolt. The bolt moves thepicked-up round into a firing chamber. The ammunition carrier isautomatically operated when the bolt is reciprocated after the device isfired, and the ammunition carrier also serves to protect the rounds inthe magazine against flame and hot gasses when the device is fired.

Recent industrial accent has been directed toward the development ofexplosively actuated devices which utilize caseless ammunition, such ascompacted nitrocellulose, or the like, as a source of power. Theseexplosively-actuated devices may be in the form of power-actuated toolsfor driving nails, studs or the like, or may take the form of a firearm,such as a rifle or a pistol. The substitution of" caseless ammunitionfor the conventional cased ammunition permits more economical operation,but at the same time, presents certain problems primarily relating tothe sealing of the firing chamber when the device is fired. A furtherproblem relating to a caseless device of the character describedconcerns the provision of an ammunition magazine for the device and thenecessity to protect the sensitive ammunition from flame and hot gaseswhen the device is fired.

The device of this invention includes an ammunition magazine whichhouses a plurality of rounds of caseless ammunition, and which alsohouses a spring-biased cartridge follower to urge the ammunition roundstoward the mouth of the magazine. A cartridge carrier is disposedadjacent the mouth or" the magazine for reciprocating movement betweenthe magazine and a bolt-containing bore. The carrier operates totransfer individual rounds of ammunition from the magazine to the bore,where the transferred round is picked up by the bolt and moved into afiring chamber. The bolt is operatively connected to the cartridgecarrier so that a round is transferred simultaneously with reciprocationof the bolt after the device is fired. The cartridge carrier is springbiased toward the bolt-containing bore so that the carrier normallycovers the mouth of the magazine to protect the ammunition. The onlytime that the mouth of the magazine is uncovered is when the bolt ismoved to a retired position after the device is fired.

It is, therefore, and object of this invention to provide an explosivelyactuated device which utilizes caseless ammunition rounds, and whichincludes an ammunition magazine for storage of the caseless rounds.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an explosivelyactuated device of the character described having a cartridge carrieroperative to transfer ammunition rounds from the magazine to a positionfor pickup by a bolt.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an explosivelyactuated device of the character described wherein the cartridge carrieris operatively connected to the bolt so as to be automatically operatedupon reciprocation of the bolt after the device is fired.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an explosivelyactuated device of the character described wherein the cartridge carrieroverlies the magazine mouth when the bolt is in its battery position toprotect the stored caseless rounds against flame and hot gases when thedevice is fired.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will becomemore readily apparent from the following detailed description andaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevated view of a preferred embodiment of the deviceof this invention in the form of a power actuated tool for drivingnails, studs, and the like into supporting surfaces;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the tool of FIG. 1 showing a caselessround in the firing chamber, the bolt in its battery position, and thefiring pin cocked for firing;

FIG. 3 is a side view partially in section showing the tool afterfiring, with the bolt being rearwardly reciprocated and the cartridgecarrier being dropped into position to pick up a new round from themagazine; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional viwes taken along line A-A of FIG. 3 andshowing the cartridge carrier as it picks up a round from the magazineand moves the round into position for chambering by the bolt.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the device of thisinvention in the form of a power actuated tool for driving studs, nails,rivets, or the like, is shown. The tool includes a barrel 2 fitted witha muzzle bushing 4 and connected to a firing block 6. The firing block 6is secured to a handle portion 8 having a first slot 10 through which acocking handle 12 extends. A pair of slide arms 14 extend through a pairof slots 16 cut in the handle portion 8. A pair of downwardly extendingplates 18 are connected to the firing block 6.

Referring to FIG. 2, the internal elements of the tool are shown inpositions prior to firing the tool. An ammunition magazine 20 is mountedin the handle 8 of the tool, the magazine 20 containing a plurality ofcaseless rounds 22 of ammunition and a cartridge follower 24 biased by aspring 26. The rear end of the magazine 20 is closed by a threaded plug28, and the forward end of the magazine 20 defines an ammunition feedmouth 30 through which the rounds 2 2 are expelled, one at a time. Asshown in FIG. 2, the magazine feed mouth 30 is closed off by anammunition carrier 32 which is movably mounted in a slot 34 cut into thefiring block 6. Each of the plates 18 includes an inwardly directedflange 36 adjacent to the carrier 32 to confine the carrier in itsmovement.

An L-shaped lever 38 is pivotally mounted on a pin 40 which extendsbetween the plates 18. One arm of the lever includes a laterallyextending pin 42 which is slida-bly mounted in a slot 44 cut into eachof the slide arms 14. The other leg of the level 38 is bifurcated at 46,with each bifurcation being provided with a slot 48. The lower end ofthe carrier 32 is also preferably bifurcated, as at 50. A pin 52 isconnected to the carrier bifurcations and extends through the leverslots 48 to establish a driving connection between the lever 38 and thecarrier 32. A

spring member 54 is mounted on the pin 40 and engages the lever 38 tobias the latter in a counter-clockwise direction. Thus the carrier 32 isbiased into its magazineblocking position by the lever 38.

The tool barrel 2 contains a Work piston 56 which is shown in its firingposition in FIG. 2. A fastener 58 (shown in phantom) is housed in themuzzle bushing 4 in a position to be driven by the piston 56. The head'60 of the piston 56 is disposed in a restricted bore '62 in the barrel2 when the piston is in its firing position. A plurality of passages 64provide fluid communcation between the restricted bore 62 and a firingchamber 66 in the forward portion of a bore 68 in the firing block 6. Itis noted that the carrier slot 34 laterally intersects the bore 68. Abolt member 70 is slidably mounted in the bore 68, the bolt member 70being shown in FIG. 2 in its battery position with a caseless round 22disposed in the firing chamber 66. A pair of gas sealing grooves 71 orother gas sealing means, such as piston rings are formed on the bolt 70to insure a gas tight seal between the bolt 70 and the wall of the bore68. The bolt member 70 includes a pair of laterally extending lugs 72which extend into respective slots 74 in the firing block 6 to lock thebolt 70 in its battery position.

The bolt 70 is rotatably mounted in a bolt slide 7-6 which reciprocatesin a bore 78 in the handle 8. The slide arms 14 and the cocking handle12 are secured to the bolt slide 76. The bolt 70 includes a laterallyextending lug 80 which is disposed in a camming slot 82 in the boltslide 76. As the bolt slide 76 is reciprocated within the bore 78, thelug 80 and camming slot 82 cooperate to rotate the bolt locking lugs 72into and out of their respective locking slots 74 in a well knownmanner.

The bolt 70 houses a firing pin 84 which includes a rearward lateralflange 86. The firing pin 84 has a gas sealing groove 85 formed thereonto seal the bolt bore. A spring, member 88 is mounted in the handle 8and bears against the firing pin 84 to urge the latter toward a firedposition. As shown in FIG. 2, the firing pin 84 is retained in a cockedposition by a sear 90 which engages the pin flange 86. The sear 90 ispivoted about a pin 92 and is curved around the magazine 20. The lowerend of the sear 90 is connected to a trigger 94 by means of a pin 96-.The trigger 94 includes a slot 98 containing a post 100 and slot 98combining to retain the trigger 94 in place while permitting the same tobe actuated. A spring 102 is mounted in the handle 8 in contact with thetrigger 94. The spring 102 biases the trigger 94 forwardly, and alsobiases the sear 90 in a clockwise direction about the pin 92.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge carrier 32 is urged by thelever '38 into a position to block the mouth 30 of the magazine 20 whenthe bolt 70 is in its battery position. Thus the carrier 32 serves toprotect the ammunition rounds 22 from flame and hot gases generated whenthe tool is fired.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the manner in which the carrier 32 operates totransfer a fresh round into position to be chambered is shown. After thetool is fired, the cocking handle 12 is grasped and moved rearwardly toslide the bolt slide 76 rearwardly through the bore 78. The initialrearward movement of the bolt slide 76 causes the bolt 70 to rotate andunlock the locking lugs 72. Further rearward movement of the bolt slide76 carries the bolt 70 and firing pin 84 back through the bore 78 untilthe pin flange 86 is engaged by the sear 90. The rearward movement ofthe bolt slide 76 causes the slide arms 14 to move rearwardly also, andthe lever pin 42 is engaged by the end wall of the slide arm slots 44.This engagement between the pin 42 and slots 44 plus further rearwardmovement of the slide arms 14 cause the lever 38 to pivot in a clockwisedirection about the pin 40 and against the bias of the spring 54. Thispivotal movement lowers the arms 46 which in turn drops the cartridgecarrier 32 to a cartridge pickup position, shown in FIG. 3. In thecartridge pickup position, the carrier 32 is clear of the magazine mouth30, and the foremost round 22 in the magazine 20 is forced out of thelatter onto the top concave edge of the carrier 32. The plate flanges 36serve to insure that the round 22 remains on top of the carrier 32 byblocking the round 22 from further movements. (See FIG. 4.) After thefiring pin flange 86 has engaged the sear 90, the bolt slide 76 is movedforwardly in the bore 78 by means of the cocking handle 12.

FIG. 4 shows the carrier 32 in its cartridge receiving position, alsoshown in FIG. 3. As the bolt slide 76 is returned to its originalposition, the bolt 70 moves toward its battery position. Also the endwalls of the slide arm slots 44 move away from the lever pin 42, and thespring 54 returns the lever 38 and carrier 32 to their respectiveoriginal or pellet feeding positions. The carrier 32 moves the round 22upwardly through the slot 34 and into the bore 68 before the bolt 70'passes by the slot 34, as clearly shown in FIG. 5. Thus the round 22 ismoved into the bore 68 and is picked up by the closing bolt 70' andcarried forward into the firing chamber 66. It is thus apparent that thecartridge carrier is operative to protect the ammunition remaining inthe magazine when the tool is fired, and yet the carrier will operate totransfer a round from the magazine to the firing block boreautomatically when the bolt is reciprocated after firing the tool. Whenthe magazine is empty, it can easily be removed and replaced with afilled one Prior to firing the chambered round, the piston 56 isreturned to its firing position, as shown in FIG. 2. This may beaccomplished in a number of known Ways, either automatically or manuallysimply by inserting a new fastener into the muzzle bushing bore.

It will be readily appreciated that the device of this invention is of arugged, yet simple construction while providing dependable performance.The provision of a magazine Lfor the caseless ammunition permits thedevice to be used with greater ease and greater speed since no manualloading of ammunition rounds is necessary. The device of this inventionalso permits smooth transfer of ammunition from the magazine to thefiring chamber which takes place automatically upon reciprocation of thebolt. Furthermore, adequate protection of the comparatively sensitiveammunition housed in the magazine is provided by the ammunition carrierwhich blocks the mouth of the magazine when the device is fired.

Since many changes and variations of the disclosed embodiment of theinvention may be made without departing from the inventive concept, itis not intended to limit the invention otherwise than as required by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An explosively actuated device for use with caseless ammunition, saiddevice comprising:

(a) a firing block having a single bore defining a firing chamber at oneend thereof, said firing block further including an ammunition feed slotintersecting said bore at a point spaced apart from said firing chamber;

(b) bolt means slidably mounted in gas sealing engagement with saidfiring block bore, said bolt means being slidable between a batteryposition adjacent to said firing chamber, and a retired position remotefrom said firing chamber;

(0) locking means operative to lock said bolt means in said batteryposition;

(d) a bolt slide mounted on said bolt means and movable therewith;

(e) an ammunition magazine having a mouth communicating with saidammunition feed slot;

(f) carrier means mounted in said ammunition feed slot, said carirermeans being movable between a pickup position adjacent said magazinemouth and a feeding position adjacent said firing block bore, saidcarrier means overlying and blocking said 6 magazine mouth when theformer is in it feeding (j) spring means connected to said firing pin tobias position; the latter toward its fired position; (g) biased levermeans drivingly connected to said (k) sear means operative to engagesaid firing pin to carrier means, said lever means being operative toretain the latter in said cocked position; and urge said carrier meanstoward its feeding position; (1) trigger means connected to said searmeans, said and 5 trigger means being operable to release said sear (h)at least one slide arm means secured to said bolt means from engagementwith said firing pin.

slide and drivingly connected to said lever means, said slide arm meansbeing operative, upon move- References Cited ment of said bolt meanstoward its retired position, 10 UNITED STATES 1p ATENTS to drive saidlever against its bias and cause said. lever to drive said carrier meansto its pickup posi- 3/1924 Pedersen 42 17 7/1965 Turner 897 2:31rglaoraegiegge a caseless ammunition round from 3,330,108 7/1967 Kvavleet all 3,474,560 10/1969 Ramsay 42-17 2. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising:

(i) a firing pin slidably mounted in gas sealing en- SAMUEL W ENGLEPrimary Examiner gagement With said bolt means, said firing pin beingmovably between a cocked position and a fired posi- Us CL tion, saidcocked position being reached by movement of said bolt means to itsretired position; -261; 89*7, 33; 227-10

